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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24263560">The One Where Fiona Finds Out</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blondhes/pseuds/Blondhes'>Blondhes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shameless (US)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Couch Cuddles, Domestic Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich, Fiona Finds Out, Fiona's POV, Fluff, M/M, No Spoilers, POV Outsider, Season/Series 04, Sharing Clothes, Sick Ian Gallagher</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:01:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,974</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24263560</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blondhes/pseuds/Blondhes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Looking back on it now, Fiona really doesn't know how she didn't catch on earlier. </p><p> </p><p>Or the one where Fiona slowly realizes Ian and Mickey are much more than friends and then notices the small things once she does. </p><p>--</p><p>Set around season 4. No real spoilers.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>676</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The One Where Fiona Finds Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Looking back on it now, Fiona really doesn’t know how she didn’t catch on earlier.</p><p>--</p><p>It is a few days after Ian comes home when Mickey Milkovich appears on her porch, asking to see her brother. Fiona didn’t know how Mickey got wind of Ian’s abrupt return, let alone why he cares. She squares her shoulders and narrows her eyes, glaring at the youngest Milkovich boy.</p><p>“Why?” She asks. She tries to hide the worry she feels as to why Mickey would need to see Ian in the first place. She desperately hopes Ian hasn’t mixed himself up with anything too bad. “He owe you money or something?”</p><p>Mickey rolls his eyes. “No, he doesn’t owe-Jesus,” He huffs angrily. “It’s none of your fucking business. Will you just tell him I’m here?”</p><p>Fiona eyes the black haired boy warily. He’s wearing a tan knitted sweater that is unzipped at the throat, matched with dark blue tattered jeans. He looks like he’s freshly showered, with wet slicked back hair and all, which surprises her because she can’t remember a time the boy didn’t have a layer of grime caked onto his skin.</p><p>He thumbs at his bottom lip before meeting her eyes once more. Once noticing she is still standing in the doorway, staring him down, he shoots his eyebrows upwards, looking at her expectantly. “Well?”</p><p>Fiona sighs and moves to the side to let him pass. If Mickey wanted to see her brother badly enough she knew he would find a way, might as well let it be on her terms where she can stop a fight if she hears one. “He’s upstairs.”</p><p>Mickey nods and takes the steps two at a time. She doesn’t follow him but she does stay at the bottom of the staircase for a minute, straining her ears to try to determine if she needs to kick the thug out of her house. When all she hears is low murmuring she shrugs and walks back to the kitchen.</p><p>Lip is sitting at the dining room table, textbooks and sheets of paper spread across the surface. He doesn’t look up from where he’s writing furiously as he asks, “Who was at the door?”</p><p>“Mickey Milkovich.” She answers bewilderedly.</p><p>Lip’s head snaps up at that. “Really?” He looks over his shoulder to glance at the stairs behind him, as if he was trying to see Mickey for himself. “Huh. Not much of a coward as I thought he was then.”</p><p>Fiona’s brow furrows in confusion. “What are you talking about?”</p><p>“Nothing.” Lip waves her off, then turns back to his homework.</p><p>Fiona frowns. She opens her mouth to further question Lip when Frank bursts through the back door, beer in hand, asking for money.</p><p>--</p><p>From then on Mickey comes around more and more often. Soon enough Fiona finds it weirder if Mickey <em>wasn’t </em>at their house. Some days she will enter the kitchen on an early morning and find Mickey sitting at the table drinking a fresh cup of hot coffee, with Ian at the stove cooking eggs. Other times she’ll come home after a long day at work to Mickey and Ian lounging on the couch watching a movie. It was weird, she didn’t even know the two were friends, but she supposed as long as Mickey wasn’t dragging Ian into the drug business it was fine with her. Ian needed more friends anyway. She couldn’t remember the last time he brought someone over that wasn’t Mandy.</p><p> --</p><p>One Saturday morning Fiona is dishing up pancakes while the kids sat at the table. Lip sits at the head of the table, finishing up a last minute assignment while Debbie sits on his right, recounting a story about school to her. Carl is beside her, tearing up pieces of toast to give to Liam in his highchair, and Ian sits across from the two, leaning his head into his propped up hand, blinking sleepily. The only one who isn’t seated is Mickey. Fiona frowns. It wasn’t often he missed breakfast; perhaps he left early this morning?</p><p>“Hey, Ian?” Fiona calls when Debbie pauses to take a breath between stories. Ian shifts his head in his hand to look at her and hums in response. “Did Mickey leave already? I made a few extra pancakes.”</p><p>“Still sleeping.” Ian mumbles.</p><p>“He’ll be down soon,” Carl interjects. “Smell of food always wakes me up.”</p><p>Sure enough, as Fiona carries two plates full of pancakes to the table a few minutes later, Mickey stumbles down the stairs. His hair is ruffled from sleep and he rubs one eye as he pulls out the chair beside Ian. Ian sits up and smiles at him tiredly and nudges the plate of pancakes closest to them towards Mickey.</p><p>Fiona sits across from Lip and waits patiently for Mickey to serve himself before she does the same. It’s at this time that she notices the shirt Mickey is wearing. A familiar grey t-shirt with the emblem of an eagle on the front hangs loosely on his form. Fiona vividly remembers Ian wearing that shirt many times in the past, including once when he snagged the fabric on a loose nail in the door jam, creating a tear in the right side of the shirt, the same rip in the shirt Mickey is wearing now.</p><p>“Mickey, you need me to wash any of your clothes?” Fiona offers. After weeks of Mickey living here, she has come to terms with his presence in her house. He gets along well enough with the kids and he chips in when bills need paying, so she figures the least she can do is offer to do a load of laundry when the poor boy resorts to clothing two times too big for him.</p><p>“What?” Mickey chokes out around a mouthful of food. His eyes widen comically and he shoots a surprised glance over to Ian before focusing back on her.</p><p>Fiona rolls her eyes. “I just noticed you’re wearing Ian’s shirt which means you’ve probably got no more clean clothes. I’m gonna do a load anyway, so just toss in some of yours as well. That goes for all of you actually,” Fiona directs to all her siblings.</p><p>Her siblings nod and carry on eating but Fiona cocks an eyebrow at Mickey and smiles when he huffs out an agreement. She digs into her own food but catches Ian smirking at Mickey from the corner of her eye.</p><p>--</p><p>Fiona runs a hand down her face guiltily as another text from Robbie comes through. He’s been texting her nonstop since she slept with him a few days ago. She doesn’t even know how he got her number and she just wishes he would leave her alone, yet she can’t bring herself to block him. She feels dirty every time Mike smiles at her. Every time he leaves her a voicemail planning their next dinner. Every time she sees a vase of flowers on her desk and that twinge of disappointment she feels when she sees his name scrawled on the card.</p><p>She looks away from the kitchen window when the front door opens. Ian stumbles into the living room, collapsing onto the couch as Mickey shuffles into the room behind him.</p><p>“Hey, Mick?” Ian says, grabbing the older boy’s attention from where he was shrugging off his coat.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Can you get me some hot chocolate?”</p><p>Fiona snorts at the request, still hidden from their sight in the kitchen.</p><p>“Get your own damn hot chocolate. You think I don’t have anything better to do than wait on your ass all day?” Mickey snaps but not with any real heat behind it.</p><p>“No, not really.” Ian smirks. “Besides, if I remember correctly, Mick, your ass wasn’t doing much waiting last-”</p><p>“A’right, A’right. I’ll get your damn drink.” Mickey grumbles. Mickey passes the couch and takes one step into the kitchen before freezing at the sight of Fiona. Fiona raises her eyebrows at him, stepping aside so he can access the mugs better. Mickey just stares at her, his eyes wide and body tense, looking like he’s ready to flee.</p><p>“Mick? You okay?” Ian calls from the living room. His voice seems to break whatever weird fight Mickey was having with himself and he turns to face him, his shoulders relaxing.</p><p>“What? Yeah, I’m fine.” Mickey shifts back to Fiona and reaches to grab two mugs, ignoring her while he goes about to make two cups of hot chocolate.</p><p>Fiona feels another buzz in her pocket and sighs. She looks back to where her brother lays on the couch, his red hair a sharp contrast against the green arm rest. His ankles are crossed from where they are propped against the far cushion and his hands are folded behind his head. In that moment, with his eyes closed and a peaceful expression on his face, he looks so much younger than eighteen. She is reminded of a seven year old Ian folding old newspaper he stole from the neighbors into an origami flower for a crying Debbie, trying his best to cheer her up. She sees a ten year old redheaded boy watching <em>Titanic</em> with her when they were forced into a foster home for a few months, looking up at her with tear filled eyes, telling her he wants a love like Rose and Jack’s someday. She remembers when Ian was fourteen and he gave her the money he earned from mowing Ms. Davies’ lawn to help Fiona pay the electric bill, instead of spending it on the autobiography of a retired vet he was saving for.</p><p>Fiona hopes that Ian will find someone who loves him and treats him like he deserves. She hopes he never feels the way she does or the way Mike inevitably will.</p><p>She’s broken from her thoughts as Mickey makes his way to the couch, balancing two steaming cups on a cutting board along with graham crackers that were most likely stale, seeing as she wasn’t even aware they had any, and three mints.</p><p>“Make room, Gallagher.”</p><p>Ian smiles.</p><p>--</p><p>It isn’t until a few months after Ian had returned home does Fiona finally realize.   </p><p>--</p><p>It’s a Thursday when Ian gets sick. It’s only a stomach bug that she heard has been passing around, but it still takes quite a lot of effort for her to convince Debbie and Carl that <em>no, you cannot stay home to take care of Ian. </em>And <em>yes, he will be fine, now go! </em></p><p>Ian has been asleep all morning and Liam is at Sheila’s so Fiona has taken advantage of the opportunity to get caught up on some laundry. She’s been saving his room for last, not wanting to risk waking him up. Fiona grabs an empty laundry basket and hauls herself up the stairs. As she nears the boys’ room she sees the door is open slightly and hears hushed murmurs. Fiona pauses at the door. She didn’t think anyone else was home besides Ian. She pushes the door slightly so she can see better inside but is still hidden from Ian’s view.</p><p>Ian is lying on his back, his head tilted to the side so he can see the person whispering to him better. Mickey is on his knees, his arms resting on the side of the bed, with his back facing the door. His right hand reaches forward to cup Ian’s cheek, his thumb stroking Ian’s cheekbone. Fiona gasps at the tender gesture. She slaps a hand against her mouth but when neither boy moves from their position she slowly lowers her hand with a relieved sigh.</p><p>“You need anything?” Mickey asks in a soft voice. Fiona’s eyes widen. She’s never heard Mickey sound so caring and gentle before. When Ian shakes his head Mickey continues, “I told Kevin I’m taking the day off so it’s just you and me today, firecrotch.” Fiona can’t see Mickey’s face from this angle but she can hear the smile behind his words. After a moment Mickey asks again, “You sure you don’t need anything? I can get you soup or some water? Actually you should drink some water. Fiona bring you any?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Ian mumbles. He nuzzles into Mickey’s hand and the simple action causes Fiona to take a step back. She can’t look away from the two, too mesmerized by a side of them she’s never seen before. She knows the fact she hasn’t seen them like this was for a reason, this moment is meant to be private, just for them, but Fiona can’t will herself to close the door.</p><p>Ian has always been a private person, although Fiona has prided herself on observing her brother and knowing him better than he thought she did. She knew he was gay years before he told her himself, and she knew he was seeing someone even though he hasn’t said. She just didn’t know it was Mickey. She wouldn’t believe it if she wasn’t seeing it with her own eyes now.</p><p>“Mick,” Ian says weakly. “Lay with me.”</p><p>If you asked Fiona yesterday, hell, even ten minutes ago, if she thought Mickey Milkovich cuddled, she would have laughed in your face for even asking. But this is a side of Mickey she doesn’t know at all. A side she is beginning to think is reserved for Ian alone.</p><p>Mickey shrugs off his jacket and kicks his shoes to the side before crawling under the covers with Ian. They melt into each other instantly. Ian shifts to his side so Mickey can lie on his back, and then folds himself over the older boy. He nestles his head into the crook of Mickey’s neck and slings an arm over the boy’s chest. One of Ian’s legs slots between Mickey’s and Mickey’s tattooed fingers card through Ian’s hair. They move so effortlessly, as easy as breathing, and Fiona wonders how often they lay like that. Do they sleep like this every night? Does Carl know? Lip?</p><p>Ian groans in pain and Mickey runs a hand over his back soothingly. “You’re okay, Ian. It’s alright. It’ll pass.”</p><p>How long have they been together? For them to act like that around each other, they must have been together before Mickey started living here. And speaking of Mickey, what about his wife? Is that why they keep their relationship a secret? A sinking feeling settles in Fiona’s stomach at the thought of Ian knowingly cheating with Mickey like Fiona is doing with Robbie.</p><p>She decides to watch the couple more closely the next couple of weeks. If Ian is going to be in a secret relationship with Mickey, someone needs to look out for him.</p><p>--</p><p>After witnessing Ian and Mickey in bed the other day, the once before subtle touches and interactions between the two become very obvious. Maybe it’s because she is actively looking for signs of their relationship but she feels more and more of an idiot every day.</p><p>She realizes the way they communicate that they care for one another in the little things. For instance, Fiona starts noticing that when Ian makes coffee in the mornings, he makes another cup with so much milk and sugar she doubts it’s edible. She watches as he brings the second cup to the table and sets it down in front of Mickey. He brushes his fingers against Mickey’s shoulder, squeezing once, before picking up his own mug.</p><p>It’s during dinner one night that she makes note of another thing. It’s a rare night where everyone is home at the same time, enjoying dinner. The table is loud with three different conversations carrying around the table as usual. Fiona laughs at a joke Lip made and turned to face Ian so she can share a knowing look with him, except his attention is elsewhere.</p><p>Ian’s body is tilted towards Mickey; his face close to the other boy’s so he can hear him better. Mickey is in the middle of recounting an interaction he had with Kevin that day. By the end of the story, Ian’s head is thrown back in laughter while he clutches his stomach. Fiona smiles as she notices the wide grin Mickey is sporting and the soft look he has while gazing at her brother. Once Ian calms down he locks eyes with Mickey and she is shocked by the loving look they share with one another. Feeling like she’s intruding on a private moment, she shifts her gaze and catches sight of Lip. He looks at the couple then back to her and they share a knowing look.  </p><p>The moment she knows what Ian and Mickey have is genuinely real is on a family movie night. Everyone is crowded into the small living room, apart from Lip who is back at campus. Fiona sits in the recliner in the corner of the room while Ian, Mickey, and Debbie share the couch. Carl and Liam sit on the floor, watching the movie intensely. It’s about an hour into the movie when she looks over to the couch and sees Mickey has fallen asleep. His head rests against Ian’s shoulder with one of Ian’s arms slung around his waist. At the sound of a car blowing up on the TV, Mickey snuffles, mumbles incoherently, and burrows his face into Ian’s neck. Ian leans down and kisses the top of Mickey’s head and just beams. Fiona can’t remember the last time she had seen Ian so happy. Ian turns his head from the TV screen to look at her. His smile has dimmed just a smidge but his eyes are so bright. Fiona’s heart swells for her brother. She feels her lips twitch into a small smile and she nods encouragingly at Ian, reassuring him she knows and its okay. They don’t need to hide here. They’re safe.</p><p>Fiona understands.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm thinking of making this into a series of different characters learning that Ian and Mickey are together. What do you think? Any ideas if you agree?</p></blockquote></div></div>
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